Sometimes you have to spend money to save money.
The statement might sound like an oxymoron, but we all know it to be true.
I know in my household, to the chagrin of my wife at times, I will fill the freezer or pantry with one or two items, to take advantage of a sale, that we will be eating the same thing for every day for a month straight.
Of course, that is true for other items. Take for instance the Town of Barrhead, taking money from one of its reserve accounts to take advantage of acquiring free surplus emergency supplies from the Public Health Agency of Canada.
They had to do it. It was an opportunity of a lifetime.
If the town, county or not-for-profit group had to go out and buy the equivalent on the open market, it would have cost them a small fortune.
The reason I mention not-for-profit groups is they will be the ones called upon to carry out much of the community’s emergency plan.
For example, when I was living in Kelowna, B.C. in 2003, I was assigned to provide communications at one of six evacuation centres, after 30,000 people were evacuated due to a wildfire.
Those evacuation centres were supplied, manned, et cetera with volunteers from Emergency Social Services. And from what I understand, at least for the County of Barrhead, the same service would be provided by the Barrhead and Regional District Family and Community Support Services (FCSS).
The problem with that is if a fire, flood, or toxic spill forced the evacuation of a few hundred people, it would be very unlikely that they would have the supplies to open such a centre, and therefore the community would have to rely on the Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA). Of course, that adds a level of complexity, time and more importantly stress to volunteers and evacuees.
Which is why I am so excited to see in the list of supplies the town received is 200 hospital cots and upwards of 900 blankets.
Now if the FCSS is called upon to set up a makeshift evacuation centre in a school gym or community centre, they will have access to a good portion of the supplies needed.
So kudos to the Town of Barrhead staff and council that made this possible.
Now if another government agency would just supply us with another sea can, surplus computer along with VHF/HF radio equipment we could have a start of setting up our own emergency communications unit as well. Admittedly not likely to happen, but I can dream.
